DEAD TO THE LAW

Romans 7:4-6 Wherefore, my brethren, ye also are become dead to the law by the body of Christ; that ye should be married to another, even to Him who is raised from the dead, that we should bring forth fruit unto God. For when we were in the flesh, the motions of sins, which were by the law, did work in our members to bring forth fruit unto death. But now we are delivered from the law, that being dead wherein we were held; that we should serve in newness of spirit, and not in the oldness of the letter.

"Wherefore," as Paul begins the lesson text, is used to connect the teaching related here to the previous three verses, which begins with the phrase "Know ye not." This begins a rhetorical phrase which means that they did, indeed, have a very good knowledge that mankind is subject to laws. Although the reference is probably made to the Mosaic Law, it would, by inference, have the same application to all laws, both spiritual laws of God and civil laws of the land. Obedience to any law can only take place while one is alive. Death removes the dominion of all law.

An example of this is related by Paul in verses two and three regarding the marriage of a man and a woman. The example cited is, when the man of the union died, but would have been equally applicable if the woman preceded the man in death. God's law of marriage is binding for the lifetime of each spouse. Although not referred to in this text, the only exception to this law is found in the teaching of Jesus. In His "Sermon on the Mount," Jesus says that divorcement, dissolution of marriage, is allowed when, and only when, fornication is committed by either party of a marriage (Matt. 5:31-32). Other than this reason, God's law of marriage is binding for as long as both parties are alive. With the exception of fornication, only the death of either spouse dissolves a marriage, and scripturally allows the remarriage of the remaining spouse. Unless death, or fornication, occurs, remarriage of either spouse results in the sin of adultery. At the death of one party of the union, the other party is loosed from the law (God's law) that binds marriage for their lifetime.

Wherefore, my brethren, ye are also become dead to the law by the body of Christ. Here, Paul was writing to the Christians at Rome,who had previously been either Jews or Gentiles. The law of God that they had been living under, had been made void with the death of Jesus Christ. As Paul wrote to the Christians at Colosse, all previous laws of God were nailed to His (Jesus') cross. A new era began at this time - the Christian Dispensation. Both the Mosaic Law and the Patriarchal Law ceased at the death of Jesus Christ on the cross of Calvary. As the death of either spouse dissolved God's law of marriage, so the death of Jesus Christ dissolved the laws of God, that were previously effective under the Jewish and Patriarchal Dispensations.

Like the death of a marriage mate freed the surviving spouse to remarry, Wherefore (or like this example), all people have now become dead to the law (God's law in previous dispensations) by the body of Christ (His death on the cross). By death, the surviving spouse's vows of marriage are made void, and they become free to marry another. Like this example, the death of Jesus Christ made void the obligations of people under previous laws of God. With this act, all people were made free to be married to another, even to Him who is raised from the dead (Jesus Christ). The church of Christ, is made up of those baptized into His body, and is symbolically revealed as the bride of Christ (Rev. 21:1-9). Being free from previous laws, each person is free to become the bride of Christ - to become a Christian, a follower of Christ. In the previous chapter of Romans, the apostle, Paul, explained how this "marriage" takes place. He wrote, Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into His death? Therefore we are buried with Him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. For if we have been planted together in the likeness of His death, we shall be also in the likeness of His resurrection (Rom. 6:3-5).

God's spiritual law that became effective at the death of His Son, Jesus Christ, superseded His previous laws, and applies to all mankind. All are free to become followers of Christ - to become His bride through baptism into His body. Under the Gospel Dispensation, those in Christ are dead to the imperfect old laws, and are now under the new law of God - justified with God through the blood of Jesus Christ, and having the hope of eternal salvation. Those remaining outside the body of Christ cannot be reconciled to God, and are subject to the penalty of eternal death. New life begins when one becomes dead to the law!